16th May 1927.  
Dear Friends,  

The last Rundbrief I have received from Vienna was in February  
and from Berlin in March; I wonder if any have gone astray in the post.  
On the other hand one arrived last week from Ferenczi with the usual grati-
fying news of his extraordinary activity and the cheerful information that  
we shall soon have the pleasure of seeing him personally.  

I had a very enjoyable holiday in Italy and the south of France.  
In Paris I gave an address in French to the new Psycho-Analytical Society  
on the subject of „The Super-Ego“. My theme was mainly tracing the  
genesis of the conception through Freud’s works of different periods,  
consisting of the continuous evolution of the idea and counteracting the  
exaggerated statements that the new psycho-analysis renders unnecessary  
the study of the old one. My remarks were received well and I had altogether  
a good impression of the members. Laforgue is certainly a pillar of  
strength there. He is very capable, hard-working and sufficiently tactful.  
I do not think he is very wise in practical affairs, but in his scientific  
work he is really excellent. On my way back from Genoa I stayed at  
Toulon and saw something of Hesnard. He is a very pleasant fellow and quite  
honest, but somewhat timid. He is gradually overcoming his inhibitions  
and realises well the necessity of a self-analysis. This may be possible  
when he removes to Paris, which he will probably do in a couple of years’ time.  
 

He is still a young man. At Nîmes the Laforgues met my wife and myself  
and motored us to Paris on a three days’ trip. This following on  
what I saw of him in England has given me the opportunity of getting to  
know him pretty well. I feel sure we can „altogether rely on him“.  

Barbara Low gave an excellent review of „Frl. Anna’s book“ before the  
Society here last week; the discussion will follow next Wednesday. We hope  
that sometime she will do us the honour of addressing us as she did our  
colleagues in Berlin, though I am inclined to think that she would meet  
with a more sceptical appreciation of her views than she did there.  

Several new recruits are working at the Clinic after finishing their  
analysis and we now have twenty-four patients in daily treatment there. We  
cannot cope, however, with the large number of applicants for treatment.  

The „Journal“, like the „Zeitschrift“, has been held up by the numerous  
contributions to the symposium, but should appear before the end of the  
month. They make amusing reading and should have the effect of bringing  
about a considerable amount of abreaction before the Congress takes place.  

The correcting of Abraham’s book is nearly finished and it should  
appear within two or three weeks from now.  

With all good wishes,  
Ernest Jones